The CEO of Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games, recently gave a TV interview discussing GTA 6, concerns about violence, AI, and other topics. This interview took place after Take-Two released its latest financial report. Below are the key points from CEO Strauss Zelnick’s conversation.
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GTA 6 Boosts Take-Two’s Stock Price
On Monday morning, Strauss Zelnick appeared on CNBC’s Squawk Box. He often does TV interviews like this after Take-Two shares its earnings report.
Before the interview, Take-Two’s stock price continued to rise, reaching an all-time high. When asked if GTA 6 was the main reason for this, Zelnick explained that it wasn’t just about one game. Instead, the company’s entire lineup of games helped drive its success.
Recently, other major game publishers like EA and Ubisoft have reported disappointing financial results. When asked what Take-Two is doing differently, Zelnick responded, “We’re trying to be the most creative, most innovative, and most efficient company in the entertainment industry.”
Why GTA 6 Takes So Long to Develop
As expected, GTA 6 became a major topic of discussion in the interview. Zelnick was asked what Take-Two and Rockstar Games put into the game, what it means to the company, and how they prepare for such a massive release.
He responded, “Rockstar Games puts a desire for creative perfection into all of their titles. That’s why it takes a long time, why it’s complex, and of course, why it makes us nervous. We don’t claim success until it happens. GTA V has been a leader not just for our company but for the entire gaming industry across three generations.”
He added that excitement for GTA 6 is enormous both inside the company and in the gaming community.
How AI Is Used in GTA 6
Zelnick was also asked about AI’s role in GTA 6’s development, especially in terms of graphics. He explained that digital tools have been part of game creation since the beginning, and AI is just another tool. However, he emphasized that human creativity is still the key to making great games.
“The genius is human. The tools might be digital, but the creative genius is human.”
The interviewer then brought up the ongoing video game actors’ strike. Many actors are worried that AI will be used to replicate their voices without fair compensation.
Zelnick made it clear that Take-Two supports human workers: “We believe in protecting and paying people for their work. If AI is used to replicate a performance, the original performer should be paid. It’s not right to use someone’s work over and over again without paying them.”
He also confirmed that GTA 6 is not affected by the strike, as the game started development before these concerns became a major issue.
Do GTA 6’s Realistic Graphics Encourage Violence?
One of the hosts asked if Zelnick was worried that GTA 6’s highly realistic graphics could lead to real-world violence. The host pointed out that older games felt less immersive, but modern games, especially GTA 6, look much more lifelike.
Zelnick strongly disagreed with the idea that video games cause violent behavior. He explained that entertainment reflects human behavior rather than creating it.
“Entertainment doesn’t create behavior. Entertainment reflects behavior. It gives people a way to express emotions and experience stories. The idea that entertainment causes violence has been tested and disproven many times. Look at movies and TV shows—many of them are very realistic, but they don’t cause violence in real life.”
Do Games Need Photorealistic Graphics to Succeed?
A follow-up question asked if photorealistic graphics are necessary for a game’s success, given their high development costs. The host mentioned Take-Two’s Borderlands series, which has a more stylized art style, as an example of a successful game that doesn’t focus on realism.
Zelnick responded that each game has its own artistic approach. Speaking about GTA specifically, he said, “That’s a question for Rockstar Games. GTA is fictional but inspired by the real world. However, it does not fully copy reality. For example, all brands in GTA are original—there are no real-world brands in the game.”
Praise for GTA 6
In contrast to this serious interview, Zelnick recently appeared on a TikTok podcast where he took a more relaxed and fun approach. He played along with internet memes about GTA 6 and reassured fans that the game will be worth the wait.
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